Will Episcopalians let anti-gay Anglicans block LGBT aid?

Will wealthy Episcopal parishes in the United States provide financial support to LGBT rights groups in countries where Anglican churches stigmatize LGBT people or will they continue to defer to their homophobic fellow Anglicans worldwide? The Rev. Canon Albert Ogle addresses that question in this excerpt from his column, originally published in the San Diego Gay & Lesbian News.

By the REV. CANON ALBERT OGLE

Trinity Church, Wall Street is an example of how individuals and institutions shuffle along the difficult path from privilege to servant leadership. Trinity was built on the backs of the voiceless victims of America’s slave trade and for generations supported the great inequalities of this country. Today, her annual grants program gives millions of dollars away to inner-city projects as well as many HIV and women’s development programs in Africa.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu. (Photo via WikiCommons Media)

A former rector of Trinity Wall Street had a very close relationship with a young priest from South Africa called Desmond Tutu and there is no doubt that without Trinity’s financial and moral support, the battle to end apartheid might have taken longer and been more violent. As the tragic and unimaginable events of 9/11 unfolded on live television, St. Paul’s chapel, part of Trinity’s complex, opened its doors to provide emergency relief and support to the New York Fire Department and rescuers.

Historically, these powerful churches have brought transformation to the deepest of our collective despair. Other contemporary issues like LGBT equality, same gender marriage and gun control will continue to push the Episcopal churches onto the center stage of public square debate. …

[But] there is always a risk that the church can be held hostage by more conservative donors. …

Will the Episcopal Church support LGBT global equality?

The issue of LGBT equality in the USA is pretty much a done deal for Episcopalians, but the issue of global equality for LGBT people is not yet decided and its implications not yet fully known.

Former Ugandan archbishop Henry Orombi is a strong supporter of the “Kill the Gays” bill there. (Photo courtesy of SDGLN.com)

In the past decade, the Episcopal Church was vilified by a significant portion of her sister Anglican Provinces in Africa (55 million members out of 70 million worldwide) for consecrating openly gay and partners bishops and allowing same gender marriages. The Anglican Churches of Uganda and Sudan, with great influence and alternative funding from more conservative churches in the USA, cut all ties with the Presiding Bishop and all funding from official Episcopalian sources.

The Church of Uganda, like many churches in Africa, actively supports the criminalization of homosexuality in 76 countries. Half of them are in sub Sahara Africa and half are members of the Commonwealth.

No to LGBT international funding

Bishop Christopher Senyonjo of Uganda

When I approached Trinity Wall Street to support the courageous efforts and ministry of Bishop Christopher Senyonjo, who was inhibited by the Church of Uganda for failing to condemn gay people, they politely declined. Not once but three times. The bishop was not in good standing with his Archbishop and to receive a grant from Trinity, Episcopal Relief and Development or United Thank Offering, the Archbishop of a Province has to approve the project.

I joked with one of the grant officers (who happens to be a Ugandan priest), “So if Dietrich Bonheoffer asked Trinity for a grant to help his church support itself against Nazi control of the churches in the 1940s and not having support from his local Archbishop – would you give him a grant?” The answer was no and Trinity’s policy and respect of Anglican polity was restated to me and Bishop Christopher.

Trinity Wall Street

Although the Episcopal Church has been in the front lines of global justice issues in the past as we saw in South Africa, or assisting with deep human needs as we saw at 9/11, we are not seeing the same commitment expressed by our wealthier and more prophetic congregations to the LGBT movement globally. It is partly because many of these congregations have deep and long-term ties to local projects and leaders in Africa and they don’t want to strain relationships further.

Also, there is a lot of ignorance in the USA as to the real effects of LGBT criminalization and the effects of churches (including partner Anglican Provinces) actively encouraging politicians to create more draconian legislation to imprison LGBT people. One small contribution from an Episcopalian in Orange County, Colin Stewart, is seeking to educate church leaders about the personal toll this is having on millions of LGBT globally. It is ironic many of these wealthy congregations support LGBT locally and are giving funding to African provinces who are seeking their imprisonment.

An Anglican compromise?

Last summer, the Episcopal Church’s 77th General Convention passed Resolution DO71, which created an Anglican compromise to this dilemma. Whereas Anglican polity demanded local African Archbishops’ sign-off on grant proposals to the main charitable bodies of the church including Episcopal Relief and Development, the resolution allowed congregations and dioceses to enter into their own relationships with inclusive churches and non government organizations (NGO’s) in places like Uganda and other Provinces where LGBT people are criminalized and often denied important services like HIV testing or care.

“Resolved, That this General Convention support Anglican and other ministries engaged in the intersection of rights, development and justice consistent with our mission priorities and Millennium Development Goals; and be it further

Resolved, That the World Mission Committee urges funding organizations of The Episcopal Church to expand partner relationships with other Non-Governmental Organizations whose missions are consistent with the mission goals of The Episcopal Church.

These new partnerships can augment our mission commitment in areas where there may be no significant Anglican presence or where the policies and programs of a Province may be in opposition to the inclusive values of The Episcopal Church and current American foreign policy
towards LGBT people.”

St. Paul’s Foundation facilitated some of the debate within the Convention and Bishop Christopher and I addressed the Standing Commission on Global Mission with support from the Diocese of California and Integrity USA. Although the resolution passed last fall and was seen as a compromise, we have yet to see any of these diocese or parishes step out and actually implement it.

The organization that could make a significant difference to moving this resolution from a nice Anglican compromise on paper to a force for servant leadership and transformation is the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes.

We will be meeting individually with them this week and sharing free copies of Colin’s new book: “From Wrong’s to Gay Rights.” I am sure out of a gathering of 400+ caring thoughtful and intelligent faith leaders, the inconsistencies and the opportunities of the current policy and solution of General Convention Resolution DO71, we may have some success to gain their attention, wisdom and commitment. Pray for us.